Instant messaging enables real-time, two-way, electronic communication over a network, such as the Internet, between two or more users. Typically, users of instant messaging clients log on to a messaging server, thereby establishing presence with the messaging server. A first user of an instant messaging client may choose to contact a second user of another instant messaging client by choosing the second user from a contact list. Usually, the contact list will indicate availability of the second user. The first user may type and send an initial message to the second user. Such an initial message may be a salutation such as “Hi.” Upon receiving the initial message, the second user can type and send a response, which may also be a salutation such as “Hi.”
The first and second user may proceed to have an electronic conversation or chat in what may be referred to as a messaging session. Typically, the messaging session ends with one of the users sending a closing such as “bye” to the other.